Thereby，however，whatwasuniversallynecessaryandabsolutelyvalid(andthisthepropositionwantedtoexpress)hasturnedroundintowhatisreallyacompletecontingency。ForspeakingthetruthislefttothechancewhetherIknowitandcanconvincemyselfofit；andthereisnothingmoreinthestatementthanthattruthandfalsehoodaretobespoken，justasanyonehappenstoknow，intend，andunderstand。Thiscontingencyinthecontenthasuniversalitymerelyinthepropositionalformoftheexpression；butasanethicalmaximthepropositionpromisesauniversalandnecessarycontent，andthuscontradictsitselfbythecontentbeingcontingent。Finally，ifthemaximweretobeimprovedbysayingthatthecontingencyoftheknowledgeandtheconvictionastothetruthshouldbedropped，andthatthetruth，too，“ought“tobeknown，thenthiswouldbeacommandwhichcontradictsstraightwaywhatwestartedfrom。Healthyreasonwasatfirstassumedtohavetheimmediatecapacityofexpressingthetruth；now，however，wearesayingthatit“ought“toknowthetruth，i。e。thatitdoesnotimmediatelyknowhowtoexpressthetruth。
Lookingatthecontent，thishasdroppedoutinthedemandthatwe“should“knowthetruth；forthisdemandreferstoknowingingeneral—“weoughttoknow“。Whatisdemandedis，therefore，strictlyspeaking，somethingindependentofeveryspecificcontent。Butherethewholepointofthestatementconcernedadefinitecontent，adistinctioninvolvedinthesubstanceoftheethicallife。
Yetthisimmediatedeterminationofthatsubstanceisacontentofsuchakindasturnedoutreallytobeacompletecontingency；andwhenwetrytogettherequireduniversalityandnecessitybymakingthelawrefertotheknowledge[insteadoftothecontent]，thenthecontentreallydisappearsaltogether。
Anothercelebratedcommandruns:“Lovethyneighbourasthyself。”Itisdirectedtoanindividualstandinginrelationtoanotherindividual，andassertsthislawasarelationofaparticularindividualtoaparticularindividual，i。e。arelationofsentimentorfeeling(Empfindung)。Activelove—foraninactivelovehasnoexistence，andisthereforedoubtlessnotintendedhere(1)—aimsatremovingevilfromsomeoneandbringinghimgood。Todothiswehavetodistinguishwhattheevilis，whatistheappropriategoodtomeetthisevil，andwhatingeneralhiswell-beingconsistsin；i。e。wehavetolovehimintelligently。Unintelligentlovewilldohimharmperhapsmorethanhatred。
Intelligent，veritable(wesentlich)well-doingis，however，initsrichestandmostimportantformtheintelligentuniversalactionofthestate—anactioncomparedwithwhichtheactionofaparticularindividualassuchissomethingaltogethersotriflingthatitishardlyworthtalkingabout。Theactionofthestateisinthisconnexionofsuchgreatweightandstrengththatiftheactionoftheindividualweretoopposeit，andeithersoughttobestraightwayanddeliberately(fürsich)criminal，oroutofloveforanotherwantedtocheattheuniversaloutoftherightandclaimwhichithasuponhim，suchactionwouldbeuselessandwouldinevitablybeannihilated。Henceallthatwell-doing，whichliesinsentimentandfeeling，canmeanisanactionwhollyandsolelyparticular，ahelpatneed，whichisascontingentasitismomentary。Chancedeterminesnotmerelyitsoccasion，butalsowhetheritisa“work“atall，whetheritisnotatoncedissipatedagain，andwhetheritdoesnotitselfreallyturntoevil。Thusthissortofactionforthegoodofothers，whichisgivenoutasnecessary，issoconstitutedthatitmayjustaslikelynotexistasexist；issuchthatiftheoccasionbychancearises，itmaypossiblybea“work“，maypossiblybegood，butjustaslikelymaynot。
Thislaw，therefore，hasaslittleofauniversalcontentasthefirstaboveconsidered，andfailstoexpressanythingsubstantial，somethingobjectivelyrealperse(anundfürsich)，whichitshoulddoifitistobeanabsoluteethicallaw。Inotherwords，suchlawsnevergetfurtherthanthe“oughttobe“，theyhavenoactualreality；theyarenotlaws，butmerelycommands。
Itis，however，inpointoffact，clearfromtheverynatureofthecasethatwemustrenounceallclaimtoanabsoluteuniversalcontent。Foreveryspecificdeterminationwhichthesimplesubstance(anditsverynatureconsistsinbeingsimple)mightobtainisinadequatetoitsnature。Thecommanditselfinitssimpleabsolutenessexpressesimmediateethicalexistence；thedistinctionappearinginitisaspecificdeterminateelement，andthusacontentstandingundertheabsoluteuniversalityofthissimpleexistence。Since，then，anabsolutecontentmustthusberenounced，formaluniversalityistheonlykindthatispossibleandsuitable，andthismeansmerelythatitisnottocontradictitself。
Foruniversalitydevoidofcontentisformal；andanabsolutecontentamountstoadistinctionwhichisnodistinction，i。e。meansabsenceofcontent。(2)
Indefaultofallcontentthereisthusnothingleftwithwhichtomakealawbutthebareformofuniversality，infact，themeretautologyofconsciousness，atautologywhichstandsoveragainstthecontent，andconsistsinaknowledge，notofthecontentactuallyexisting，thecontentproper，butofitsultimateessenceonly，aknowledgeofitsself-identity。
Theethicalinneressenceisconsequentlynotitselfipsofactoacontent，butonlyastandardfordecidingwhetheracontentiscapableofbeingalawornot，i。e。whetherthecontentdoesnotcontradictitself。Reasonaslaw-giverisreducedtobeingreasonascriterion；insteadoflayingdownlawsreasonnowonlytestswhatislaiddown。
1。Cp。Kant，GroundworkoftheMetaphysicofMorals:Sect。1CritiqueofPracticalReason:
Analyticc。3。
2。TheabovecriticismappliestoKant\'s“categoricalimperative“。
cReasonasTestingLawsADIFFERENCEwithinthebareandsimpleethicalsubstanceisforitanaccident，which，inthecaseofdeterminatecommands，aswesaw，appearedascontingencyintheknowledgeofthecircumstancesandcontingencyinaction。Thecomparisonofthatsimpleexistencewiththedeterminatenesswhichwasinadequatetoitsnaturetookplaceinus；andthesimplesubstancewasthenseentobeformaluniversalityorpureconsciousnesswhichholdsitselffreefromandinoppositiontothecontent，andisaknowledgeofthatcontentassomethingdeterminate。Theuniversalityinthiswayremainsthesameaswhattheobjectifiedintentwas。Butinconsciousnessthisuniversalityissomethingdifferent；itisnolongerthegenus，inertandvoidofthought，butisrelatedtotheparticularandvalidasitsforceandtruth。
Thisconsciousnessatfirstseemsthesameprocessoftestingwhichformerlywecarriedon，anditsactionseemsunabletobeanythingelsethanhasalreadytakenplace—acomparisonoftheuniversalwiththedeterminateparticularwhichwouldyieldasformerlytheirmutualincongruity。
Buttherelationofcontenttouniversalisdifferenthere，sincethisuniversalhasgotanothersignificance。Itisformaluniversality，ofwhichthespecificconsentiscapable；forinthatuniversalitythecontentisconsideredmerelyinrelationtoitself。Whenwewereapplyingthetest，theuniversalsolidsubstancestoodoveragainstthatspecificity，whichprovedtobeacontingentelementoftheconsciousnessintowhichthesubstanceentered。Hereonetermofthecomparisonhasvanished；theuniversalisnolongertheexistingsubstancewithavalueallitsown，isnolongersubstantiverightperse，butsimpleknowledgeorform，whichcomparesacontentmerelywithitself，andlooksatittoseeifitisatautology。Lawsarenolongergiven，butexaminedandtested；
andforthatconsciousnesswhichappliesthetestthelawsarealreadygiven。Itpicksuptheircontentassimplythere，withoutgoingintotheconsideration(aswasdonebefore)oftheparticularityandcontingencyattachingtoitsreality；insteadofthisittakesitsstandbythecommandascommand，andtakesupanattitudetowardsthiscommandjustasdirectandsimpleas[thefactof]itsbeingastandardandcriterionforcriticizingit。
Forthatreason，however，thisprocessoftestingdoesnotgetveryfar。Justbecausethestandardisatautologyandindifferenttothecontent，itacceptsonecontentjustasreadilyastheopposite。
Supposethequestionis:—oughtittobealawwithoutqualification(anundfürsich)thatthereshouldbeproperty?Withoutqualification，andnotbecauseofutilityforotherends:—theessentialethicaltruthconsistsjustinthefactthatthelawshouldbemerelyaself-consistentwhole(sichselbstgleiche)，andthroughbeingidenticalwithitselfhaveitsgroundinitsownessentialnature，andnotbesomethingconditioned。Propertypersedoesnotcontradictitself。Itisaspecificallydeterminateisolatedelement，ormerelyself-identical(sichselbstgleich)。Absenceofproperty，absenceofownershipofthings，oragain，communityofgoods，contradictsitselfjustaslittle。Thatsomethingbelongtonobodyatall，ortothefirstbestmanwhoputshimselfinpossession，or，again，toalltogether，andtoeachaccordingtohisneedorinequalportions—thatisasimplecharacteristic，aformalthought，likeitsopposite，property。
Ifindeednooneismasterofathinganditislookedatasanecessaryobjectforhumanrequirement，thenitisnecessarythatitshouldbecomethepossessionofsomeparticularindividual；
andthecontradictionwouldratherlieinmakingalawoutofthefreedomofthething。Bythethingbeingwithoutanownerismeant，however，notabsolutefreedomfromownership，butthatitshallcomeintosomeone\'spossessionaccordingtotheneedoftheindividual，and，moreover，notinordertobekeptbutdirectlytobeused。Buttomakeprovisionforneedinsuchanentirelyhaphazardmanneriscontradictorytothenatureoftheconsciousbeing，withwhomalonewehaveheretodo。Forsuchabeinghastothinkofhisneedinauniversalway，tolooktohisexistenceinitsentirety，andprocurehimselfapermanentlastinggood。Thisbeingso，theideathatathingistobecomebychancethepossessionofthefirstself-consciousindividual(Leben)whohappenstoneedit，isinconsistentwithitself。
Inacommunisticsociety，whereprovisionwouldbemadeinawaywhichisuniversalandpermanent，eithereachcomestohaveasmuchasherequires-inwhichcasethereisacontradictionbetweenthisinequalityandtheessentialnature—ofconsciousness，whoseprincipleistheequalityofindividuals-or，actingonthislastprinciple，thereisanequaldivisionofgoods，andinthiscasetheshareeachgetshasnorelationtohisneeds，andyetthisissolelywhat“share“，i。e。
fairshare，reallymeans。
Butifwhentakeninthiswayabsenceofpropertyseemscontradictory，thisisonlybecauseithasnotbeenleftintheformofasimpledeterminatecharacteristic。Thesameresultisfoundinthecaseofpropertyifthisisresolvedintoseparatemoments。Theparticularthingwhichismypropertyhasbybeingsothevalueofsomethinguniversal，established，andpermanent。This，how。ever，contradictsitsnature，whichconsistsinitsbeingusedandpassingaway。Atthesametimeitsvalueliesinbeingmine，whichallothersacknowledgeandkeepthemselvesawayfrom。Butjustinmybeingacknow-ledgedliesrathermyequality，myidentify，witheveryone—theoppositeofexclusion。
Again，whatIpossessisathing，i。e。anexistence，whichisthereforothersingeneral，quiteuniversallyandwithoutanyconditionthatitisformealone。ThatIpossessitcontradictsthegeneralnatureofitsthinghood。Propertythereforecontradictsitselfonallhandsjustasmuchasabsenceofproperty；eachhaswithinitboththeseoppositeandself-contradictorymoments，universalityandparticularity。
Buteachofthesedeterminatecharacteristics，presentedsimplyaspropertyorabsenceofpropertywithoutfurtherdevelopingitsimplications，isassimpleastheother，i。e。isnotself-contradictory。Thestandardoflawwhichreasonhaswithinitselfthereforefitseverycaseinthesameway，andisinpointoffactnostandardatall。Itwould，too，turnoutratherstrange，iftautology，theprincipleofcontradiction，whichisallowedtobemerelyaformalcriterionforknowledgeoftheoreticaltruth，i。e。somethingwhichisquiteindifferenttotruthanduntruthalike，weretobemorethanthisforknowledgeofpracticaltruth。
Inboththeabovemomentsofwhatfillsupthepreviousemptinessofspiritualreality(geistigenWesen)theattempttoestablishimmediatedeterminatecharacteristicswithinthesubstanceoftheethicallife，andthentoknowwhetherthesedeterminationsarelaws，hascancelleditself。Theoutcome，then，seemstobethatneitherdeterminatelawsnoraknowledgeofthesecanbeobtained。Butthesubstanceinquestionistheconsciousnessofitselfasabsoluteessentiality(Wesenheit)，aconsciousnessthereforewhichcangiveupneitherthedifferencefallingwithinthatsubstance，northeknowledgeofthisdifference。Thatgivinglawsandtestinglawshaveturnedoutfutileindicatesthatboth，takenindividuallyandinisolation，aremerelyunstablemomentsoftheethicalconsciousness；andtheprocessinwhichtheyappearhastheformalsignificance，thatthesubstanceofethicallifetherebyexpressesitselfasconsciousness。
Sofarasboththesemomentsaremoreprecisedeterminationsoftheconsciousnessoftherealintent(Sacheselbst)theycanbelookedonasformsofthathonestyofnature(Ehrlichkeit)whichnow，asalwayswithitsformalmoments，ismuchoccupiedwithacontentwhich“oughttobe“
goodandright，andwithtestingdefinitefixedtruthofthissort，andsupposesitselftopossessinhealthyreasonandintelligentinsighttheforceandvalidityofethicalcommands。
Withoutthishonestyofnature，however，lawsdonothavevalidityasessentialrealitiesofconsciousness，andtheprocessoftestinglikewisedoesnotholdgoodasanactivityinsideconsciousness。Rather，thesemoments，whentheyappeardirectlyasarealityeachbyitself，expressintheonecaseaninvalidestablishmentandmeredefactoexistenceofactuallaws，andintheotheranequallyinvaliddetachmentfromthem。Thelawasdeterminatehasanaccidentalcontent:thismeansherethatitisalawmadebyaparticularindividualconsciousofanarbitrarycontent。Tolegislateimmediatelyinthatwayisthustyrannicalinsolenceandwickedness，whichmakescapriceintoalaw，andmoralityintoobediencetosuchcaprice—obediencetolawswhicharemerelylawsandnotatthesametimecommands。So，too，thesecondprocess，testingthelaws，sofarasitistakenbyitself，meansmovingtheimmovable，andtheinsolenceofknowledge，whichtreatsabsolutelawsinaspiritofintellectualdetachment，andtakesthemforacapricethatisalienandexternaltoit。
Inbothformsthesemomentsarenegativeinrelationtotheethicalsubstance，totherealspiritualnature。Inotherwords，thesubstancedoesnotfindinthemitsreality:butinsteadconsciousnesscontainsthesubstancestillintheformofitsownimmediacy；andthesubstanceis，asyet，onlyaprocessofwillingandknowingonthepartofthisindividual，ortheought“ofanunrealcommandandaknowledgeofformaluniversality。Butsincethesemodeswerecancelled，consciousnesshaspassedbackintotheuniversalandthoseoppositionshavevanished。Thespiritualrealityisactualsubstancepreciselythroughthesemodesnotholdinggoodindividually，butmerelyascancelledandtranscended；andtheunitywheretheyaremerelymomentsistheselfofconsciousnesswhichishenceforthestablishedwithinthespiritualreality，andmakesthatspiritconcrete，actual，andself-conscious。
Spiritualreality(dasgeistigeWesen)isthus，inthefirstplace，forself-consciousnessintheshapeofalawimplicitlyexisting。Theuniversalitypresentintheprocessoftesting，whichwasofaformalkindandnotinherentlyexistent，istranscended。Thelawis，too，aneternallaw，whichdoesnothaveitsgroundinthewillofagivenindividual，buthasabeingallitsown(anundfürsich)，thepureandabsolutewillofallwhichtakestheformofimmediateexistence。Thiswillis，again，notacommandwhichmerelyoughttobe；itisandhasvalidity；itistheuniversalegoofthecategory，egowhichisimmediatelyreality，andtheworldisonlythisreality。Since，however，thisexistinglawisabsolutelyvalid，theobediencegivenbyself-consciousnessisnotservicerenderedtoamaster，whoseordersaremerecapriceandinwhichitdoesnotrecognizeitsownnature。Onthecontrary，thelawsarethoughtsofitsownabsoluteconsciousness，thoughtswhichareitsownimmediatepossession。Moreover，itdoesnotbelieveinthem，forbelief，whileitnodoubtseestheessentialnature，stillgazesatanalienessence—notitsown。Theethicalself-consciousnessisdirectlyatonewiththeessentialreality，invirtueoftheuniversalityofitsownself。Belief，ontheotherhand，beginswithanindividualconsciousness；itisaprocessinwhichthisconsciousnessisalwaysapproachingthisunity，withouteverbeingabletofinditselfathomewithitsessentialnature。Theaboveconsciousness，ontheotherhand，hastranscendeditselfasindividual，thismediatingprocessiscompleted，andonlybecauseofthis，isitimmediateself-consciousnessofethicalsubstance。
Thedistinction，then，ofself-consciousnessfromtheessentialnature(Wesen)iscompletelytransparent。Becauseofthisthedistinctionsfoundwithinthatnatureitselfarenotaccidentalcharacteristics。Onthecontrary，becauseoftheunityoftheessencewithself-consciousness(fromwhichalonediscordance，incongruity，mighthavecome)，theyarearticulatedgroups(Massen)oftheunitypermeatedbyitsownlife，unsunderedspiritstransparenttothemselves，stainlessformsandshapesofheaven，thatpreserveamidsttheirdifferencestheuntarnishedinnocenceandconcordoftheiressentialnature。
Self-consciousness，again，standslikewiseinasimpleandclearrelationtothosedifferentlaws。
Theyare，andnothingmore—thisiswhatconstitutestheconsciousnessofitsrelationtothem。
Thus，Antigonetakesthemfortheunwrittenandunerringlawsofthegod—
“Notnow，indeed，noryesterday，butforayeItlives，andnomanknowswhattimeitcame。”(1)
Theyare。IfIaskfortheirorigin，andconfinethemtothepointwhencetheyarose，thatputsmebeyondthem，foritisIwhoamnowtheuniversal，whiletheyaretheconditionedandlimited。Iftheyaretogetthesanctionofmyinsight，Ihavealreadyshakentheirimmovablenature，theirinherentconstancy，andregardthemassomethingwhichisperhapstrue，butpossiblymayalsobenottrue，sofarasIamconcerned。Trueethicalsentimentconsistsjustinholdingfastandunshakenbywhatisright，andabstainingaltogetherfromwhatwouldmoveorshakeitorderiveit。Supposeadeposithasbeenmadeovertomeontrust，itisthepropertyofanother，andIrecognizeitbecauseitisso，andremainimmovableinthisrelationtowardsit。ButifIkeepthedepositformyself，then，accordingtotheprincipleIuseintestinglaws—tautologv-Iundoubtedlydonotcommitacontradiction；forinthatcaseIdonotregarditanylongerasthepropertyofanother。TokeepanythingwhichIdonotlookonastheproperty，ofsomeoneelseisperfectlyconsistent。
Changingthepointofviewisnotcontradiction；forwhatwehavetodowithisnotthepointofview，buttheobjectandcontent，whichisnottocontradictitself。JustasIcan—asIdo，whenI
givesomethingawayinapresent—altertheviewthatsomethingismineintotheviewthatitisthepropertyofanother，withoutbeingtherebyguiltyofacontradiction，sotooIcanproceedtheotherwayabout。Itisnot，then，becauseIfindsomethingnotcontradictingitselfthatitisright；butitisrightbecauseitistheright。Thatsomethingisthepropertyofanother，thisliesatthebasisofwhatI
do。Ihavenotto“reasonwhy“，nortoseekoutorhituponthoughtsofallkinds，connexions，aspects；Ihavetothinkneitherofgivinglawsnoroftestingthem。Byallsuchthought-processesonmypartIshouldstultifythatrelation，sinceinpointoffactIcould，ifIliked，maketheoppositesuitmyindeterminatetautologicalknowledgejustaswell，andmakethatthelaw。Butwhetherthisortheoppositedeterminationistheright，thatissettledjustasitstands(anundfürsich)。Imight，formyownpart，havemadethelawwhicheverIwanted，andneitherofthemjustaswell，andam，bymybeginningtotestthem，therebyalreadyonanimmoraltrack。Thattherightisthereformejustasitstands—thisplacesmewithinthesubstanceofethicalreality:andinthiswaythatsubstanceistheessenceofself-consciousness。Butself-consciousness，againisitsactualizationanditsexistence，itsself，anditswill。
1。Sophocles，AntigoneC—
FREECONCRETEMIND(1)
(BB)
()VI。SPIRIT(1)
SpiritREASONisspirit，whenitscertaintyofbeingallrealityhasbeenraisedtotheleveloftruth，andreasonisconsciouslyawareofitselfasitsownworld，andoftheworldasitself。Thedevelopmentofspiritwasindicatedintheimmediatelyprecedingmovementofmind，wheretheobjectofconsciousness，thecategorypureandsimple，rosetobethenotionofreason。Whenreason“observes“，thispureunityofegoandexistence，theunityofsubjectivityandobjectivity，offor-itself-nessandin-itself-ness-thisunityisimmanent，hasthecharacterofimplicitnessorofbeing；
andconsciousnessofreasonfindsitself。Butthetruenatureof“observation“isratherthetranscendenceofthisinstinctoffindingitsobjectlyingdirectlyathand，andpassingbeyondthisunconsciousstateofitsexistence。Thedirectlyperceived(angeshcaut)category，thethingsimply“found“，entersconsciousnessastheself-existenceoftheego-ego，whichnowknowsitselfintheobjectivereality，andknowsitselfthereastheself。Butthisfeatureofthecategory，viz。ofbeingfor-itselfasopposedtobeing—immanent—within—itself，isequallyone-sided，andamomentthatcancelsitself。Thecategorythereforegetsforconsciousnessthecharacterwhichitpossessesinitsuniversaltruth—itisself-containedessentialreality(anundfürsichseyendesWesen)。Thischaracter，stillabstract，whichconstitutesthenatureofabsolutefact，of“factitself“，isthebeginningsof“spiritualreality“(dasgeistigeWesen)；anditsmodeofconsciousnessishereaformalknowledgeofthatreality，aknowledgewhichisoccupiedwiththevariedandmanifoldcontentthereof。Thisconsciousnessisstill，inpointoffact，aparticularindividualdistinctfromthegeneralsubstance，andeitherprescribesarbitrarylawsorthinksitpossesseswithinitsownknowledgeassuchthelawsastheyabsolutelyare(anundfürsich)，andtakesitselftobethepowerthatpassesjudgmentonthem。Oragain，lookedatfromthesideofthesubstance，thisisseentobetheself-containedandself-sufficientspiritualreality，whichisnotyetaconsciousnessofitsownself。Theself-containedandself-sufficientreality，however，whichisatonceawareofbeingactualintheformofconsciousnessandpresentsitselftoitself，isSpirit。
Itsessentialspiritualbeing(Wesen)hasbeenabovedesignatedastheethicalsubstance；spirit，however，isconcreteethicalactuality(Wirklichkeit)。Spiritistheselfoftheactualconsciousness，towhichspiritstandsopposed，orratherwhichappearsoveragainstitself，asanobjectiveactualworldthathaslost，however，allsenseofstrangenessfortheself，justastheselfhaslostallsenseofhavingadependentorindependentexistencebyitself，cutoffandseparatedfromthatworld。
Beingsubstanceanduniversalself-identicalpermanentessence(Wesen)，spiritistheimmovableirreduciblebasisandthestartingpointfortheactionofallandeveryone；itistheirpurposeandtheirgoal，becausetheideallyimplicitnature(Ansich)ofallself-consciousnesses。Thissubstanceislikewisetheuniversalproduct，wroughtandcreatedbytheactionofeachandall，andconstitutingtheirunityandlikenessandidentityofmeaning；foritisself-existence(Fürsichseyn)，theself，action。Quasubstance，spiritisunbendingrighteousselfsameness，self-identity；butquafor-itself，self-existentandself-determined(Fürsichseyn)，itscontinuityisresolvedintodiscreteelements，itistheself-sacrificingsoulofgoodness，thebenevolentessentialnatureinwhicheachfulfilshisownspecialwork，rendsthecontinuumoftheuniversalsubstance，andtakeshisownshareofit。Thisresolutionoftheessenceintoindividualformsisjusttheaspectoftheseparateactionandtheseparateselfofalltheseveralindividuals；itisthemovingsouloftheethicalsubstance，theresultantuniversalspiritualbeing。Justbecausethissubstanceisabeingresolvedintheself，itisnotalifelessessence，butactualandalive。
Spiritisthustheself-supportingabsolutelyrealultimatebeing(Wesen)。Allthepreviousmodesofconsciousnessareabstractionsfromit:theyareconstitutedbythefactthatspiritanalysesitself，distinguishesitsmoments，andhaltsateachindividualmodeinturn。Theisolatingofsuchmomentspresupposesspirititselfandrequiresspiritforitssubsistence，inotherwords，thisisolationofmodesonlyexistswithinspirit，whichisexistence。Takeninisolationtheyappearasiftheyexistedastheystand。Buttheiradvanceandreturnupontheirrealgroundandessentialbeingshowedthattheyaremerelymomentsorvanishingquantities；andthisessentialbeingispreciselythismovementandresolutionofthesemoments。Here，wherespirit，thereflexionofthesemomentsintoitself，hasbecomeestablished，ourreflexionmaybrieflyrecalltheminthisconnexion:theywereconsciousness，self-consciousness，andreason。SpiritisthusConsciousnessingeneral，whichcontainssense-certainty，perceptionandunderstanding，sofarasinanalysingitsownselfitholdsfastbythemomentofbeingarealityobjectivetoitself，andbyabstractioneliminatesthefactthatthisrealityisitsownselfobjectified，itsownself-existence。Whenagainitholdsfastbytheotherabstractmomentproducedbyanalysis，thefactthatitsobjectisitsownselfbecomeobjectivetoitself，isitsself-existence，thenitisSelf-consciousness。Butasimmediateconsciousnessofitsinherentanditsexplicitbeing，ofitsimmanentselfanditsobjectiveself，astheunityofconsciousnessandself-consciousness，itisthattypeofconsciousnesswhichhasReason:itistheconsciousnesswhich，astheword“have“indicates，hastheobjectinashapewhichisimplicitlyandinherentlyrational，oriscategorized，butinsuchawaythattheobjectisnotyettakenbytheconsciousnessinquestiontohavethevalueofacategory。Spirithereisthatconsciousnessfromtheimmediatelyprecedingconsiderationofwhichwehavearrivedatthepresentstage。Finally，whenthisreason，whichspirit“has“，isseenbyspirittobereasonwhichactuallyis，tobereasonwhichisactualinspirit，andisitsworld，thenspirithascometoitstruth；itisspirit，theessentialnatureofethicallifeactuallyexistent。
Spirit，sofarasitistheimmediate，truth，istheethicallifeofanation:—theindividual，whichisaworld。Ithastoadvancetotheconsciousnessofwhatitisimmediately；ithastoabandonandtranscendthebeautifulsimplicityofethicallife，andgettoaknowledgeofitselfbypassingthroughaseriesofstagesandforms。Thedistinctionbetweentheseandthosethathavegonebeforeconsistsintheirbeingrealspiritualindividualities(Geister)，actualitiesproper，andinsteadofbeingformsmerelyofconsciousness，theyareformsofaworld。
Thelivingethicalworldisspiritinitstruth。Asitfirstcomestoanabstractknowledgeofitsessentialnature，ethicallife(Sittlichkeit)isdestroyedintheformaluniversalityofrightorlegality(Recht)。Spirit，beingnowsunderedwithinitself，tracesoneofitsworldsintheelementofitsobjectivityasinacrasssolidactuality；thisistherealmofCultureandCivilization；whileoveragainstthisintheelementofthoughtistracedtheworldofBelieforFaith，therealmofthe。InnerLifeandTruth(Wesen)。Bothworlds，however，wheninthegripofthenotion—whengraspedbyspiritwhich，afterthislossofselfthroughself-diremption，penetratesitself—arethrownintoconfusionandrevolutionizedthroughindividualInsight(Einsicht)，andthegeneraldiffusionofthisattitude，knownasthe“Enlightenment“(Aufkl?rung)。Andtherealmwhichhadthusbeendividedandexpandedintothe“present“andthe“remotebeyond“，intothe“here“andthe“yonder“，turnsbackintoself-consciousness。Thisself-consciousness，again，takingnowtheformofMorality(theinnermorallife)apprehendsitselfastheessentialtruth，andtherealessenceasitsactualselfnolongerputsitsworldanditsgroundandbasisawayoutsideitself，butletseverythingfadeintoitself，andintheformofConscience(Gewissen)isspiritsureandcertain(gewiss)ofitself。
Theethicalworld，theworldrentasunderintothe“here“andthe“yonder“，andthemoralpointofview(moralischeWeltanschauung)，are，then，individualformsofspirit(Geister)whoseprocessandwhosereturnintotheselfofspirit，aselfsimpleandself-existent(fürsichseyend)，willbedeveloped。Astheseattaintheirgoalandfinalresult，theactualself-consciousnessofAbsoluteSpiritwillmakeitsappearanceandbetheiroutcome。
1。Theterm“Spirit“seemsbettertorendertheword“Geist“usedhere，thantheword“mind“
woulddo。Uptothisstageofexperiencetheword“mind“issufficienttoconveythemeaning。Butspiritismindatamuchhigherlevelofexistence。
A
ObjectiveSpirit—
TheEthicalOrder(2)
Spirit，initsultimatesimpletruth，isconsciousness，andbreaksasunderitsmomentsfromoneanother。Anactdividesspiritintospiritualsubstanceontheoneside，andconsciousnessofthesubstanceontheother；anddividesthesubstanceaswellasconsciousness。Thesubstanceappearsintheshapeofauniversalinnernatureandpurposestandingincontrasttoitselfquaindividualizedreality。Themiddleormediatingterm，infiniteincharacter，isself-consciousness，which，beingimplicitlytheunityofitselfandthatsubstance，becomesso，now，explicitly(fürsich)，unitestheuniversalinnernatureanditsparticularrealization，raisesthelattertotheformerandactsethically:and，ontheotherhand，bringstheformerdowntothelatterandcarriesoutthepurpose，thesubstancepresentedmerelyinthought。Inthiswayitbringstolighttheunityofitsselfandthesubstance，andproducesthisunityintheformofits“work“，andthusasactualconcretefact(Wirklichkeit)。
Whenconsciousnessbreaksupintotheseelements，thesimplesubstancehasinpartacquiredtheattitudeofoppositiontoself-consciousness；inpartittherebymanifestsinitselftheverynatureofconsciousness，whichconsistsindistinguishingitsowncontentwithinitself—manifestsitasaworldarticulatedintoitsspheres，Thesubstanceisthusanethicalbeingsplitupintodistinctelementalforms，ahumanandadivinelaw。Inthesameway，theself-consciousnessappearingoveragainstthesubstanceassignsitself，invirtueofitsinnernature，tooneofthesepowers，and，quainvolvingknowledge，getsbrokenupintoignoranceofwhatitisdoing，ontheonehand，andknowledgeofthisontheother，aknowledgewhichforthatreasonprovesadeception。Itlearns，therefore，throughitsownactatoncethecontradictorynatureofthosepowersintowhichtheinnersubstancedivideditself，andtheirmutualoverthrow，aswellasthecontradictionbetweenitsknowledgeoftheethicalcharacterofitsactandwhatistrulyandessentiallyethical，andsofindsitsowndestruction。Inpointoffact，however，theethicalsubstancehasbythisprocessbecomeactualconcreteself-consciousness:inotherwordsthisparticularselfhasbecomeself-sufficientandself-dependent—(AnundFürsichseyenden)，butpreciselytherebytheethicalorderhasbeenoverthrownanddestroyed。
1。SittlichkeitaLaw，Human&Divine:
ManandWoman1。NationandFamilyTHEsimplesubstanceofspirit，beingconsciousness，dividesitselfintoparts。Inotherwords，justasconsciousnessofabstractsensuousexistencepassesoverintoperception，sodoesimmediatecertaintyofrealethicalexistence；andjustasforsense-perceptionbare“being“becomesa“thing“
withmanyproperties，soforethicalperceptionagivenactbecomesarealityinvolvingmanyethicalrelations。Fortheformer，again，theunnecessarypluralityofpropertiesconcentratesitselfintotheformofanessentialoppositionbetweenindividualanduniversal；andstillmoreforthelatter，whichisconsciousnesspurifiedandsubstantial，thepluralityofethicalmomentsisreducedtoandassumesatwofoldform，thatofalawofindividualityandalawofuniversality。Eachoftheseareasor“masses“ofthesubstanceremains，however，spiritinitsentirety。Ifinsense-perception“things“
havenoothersubstantialrealitythanthetwodeterminationsofindividualanduniversal，thesedeterminationsexpress，inthepresentinstance，merelythesuperficialoppositionofbothsidestooneanother。
Individuality，inthecaseofthesubject(Wesen)wearehereconsidering，hasthesignificanceofself-consciousnessingeneral，notofanyparticularconsciousnesswecaretotake。Theethicalsubstanceis，thus，inthisdeterminationactualconcretesubstance，AbsoluteSpiritrealizedinthepluralityofdistinctconsciousnessesdefinitelyexisting。It[thisspirit]isthecommunity(Gemeinwesen)which，asweenteredthestageofthepracticalembodimentofreasoningeneral，camebeforeusastheabsoluteandultimatereality，andwhichherecomesobjectivelybeforeitselfinitstruenatureasaconsciousethicalreality(Wesen)，andastheessentialrealityforthatmodeofconsciousnesswearenowdealingwith。itisspiritwhichisforitself，sinceitmaintainsitselfbybeingreflectedinthemindsofthecomponentindividuals；andwhichisinitselforsubstance，sinceitpreservesthemwithinitself。Quaactualsubstance，thatspiritisaNation(Volk)；quaconcreteconsciousness，itistheCitizensofthenation。Thisconsciousnesshasitsessentialbeinginsimplespirit，andiscertainofitselfintheactualrealizationofthisspirit，intheentirenation；ithasitstruththeredirectly，notthereforeinsomethingunreal，butinaspiritwhichexistsandmakesitselffelt。
(a)HumanLawThisspiritcanbenamedHumanLaw，becauseithasitsbeingessentiallyintheformofself-consciousactuality。Intheformofuniversality，thatspiritisthelawknowntoeverybody，familiarandrecognized，andistheeverydayCustomaryConvention(Sitte)；intheformofparticularityitistheconcretecertaintyofitselfinanyandeveryindividual；andthecertaintyofitselfasasingleindividualityisthatspiritintheformofGovernment。Itstrueandcompletenatureisseeninitsauthoritativevalidityopenlyandunmistakablymanifested，anexistencewhichtakestheformofunconstrainedindependentobjectivefact，andisimmediatelyapprehendedwithconsciouscertaintyinthisform。
(b)DivineLawOveragainstthispowerandpublicityoftheethicalsecularhumanorderthereappears，however，anotherpower，theDivineLaw。Fortheethicalpowerofthestate，beingthemovementofself-consciousaction，findsitsoppositioninthesimpleimmediateessentialbeingoftheethicalorder；quaactualconcreteuniversality，itisaforceexertedagainsttheindependenceoftheindividual；and，quaactualityingeneral，itfindsinherentinthatessentialbeingsomethingotherthanthepowerofthestate。
Wementionedbeforethateachoftheoppositewaysinwhichtheethicalsubstanceexistscontainsthatsubstanceinitsentirety，andcontainsallmomentsofitscontents。If，then，thecommunityisthatsubstanceintheformofself-consciouslyrealizedaction，theothersidehastheformofimmediateordirectlyexistentsubstance。Thelatteristhus，ontheoneband，theinnerprinciple(Begriff)oruniversalpossibilityoftheethicalorderingeneral，but，ontheotherhand，containswithinitalsothemomentofself-consciousness。Thismomentwhichexpressestheethicalorderinthiselementofimmediacyormerebeing，which，inotherwords，isanimmediateconsciousnessofself(bothasregardsitsessenceanditsparticularthisness)inanother“——andhence，isanaturalethicalcommunity——thisistheFamily。Thefamily，astheinnerindwellingprincipleofsocialityoperatinginanunconsciousway，standsopposedtoitsownactualitywhenexplicitlyconscious；asthebasisoftheactualityofanation，itstandsincontrasttothenationitself；astheimmediateethicalexistence，itstandsoveragainsttheethicalorderwhichshapesandpreservesitselfbyworkforuniversalends；thePenatesofthefamilystandincontrasttotheuniversalspirit。
Althoughtheethicalexistenceofthefamilyhasthecharacterofimmediacy，itiswithinitselfanethicalentity，butnotsofarasitisthenaturalrelationofitscomponentmembers，orsofarastheirconnexionisoneimmediatelyholdingbetweenindividualconcretebeings。Fortheethicalelementisintrinsicallyuniversalandthisrelationestablishedbynatureisessentiallyjustasmuchaspiritualfact，andisonlyethicalbybeingspiritual。Letusseewhereinitspeculiarethicalcharacterconsists。
Inthefirstplace，becausetheethicalelementistheintrinsicallyuniversalelement，theethicalrelationbetweenthemembersofthefamilyisnotthatofsentimentortherelationshipoflove。Theethicalelementinthiscaseseemsboundtobeplacedintherelationoftheindividualmemberofthefamilytotheentirefamilyastherealsubstance，sothatthepurposeofhisactionandthecontentofhisactualityaretakenfromthissubstance，arederivedsolelyfromthefamilylife。Buttheconsciouspurposewhichdominatestheactionofthiswhole，sofarasthatpurposeconcernsthatwhole，isitselftheindividualmember。Theprocuringandmaintainingofpowerandwealthturn，inpart，merelyonneedsandwants，andareamatterthathastodowithdesire；inpart，theybecomeintheirhigherobjectsomethingwhichismerelyofmediatesignificance。Thisobjectdoesnotfallwithinthefamilyitself，butconcernswhatistrulyuniversal，thecommunity；itactsratherinanegativewayonthefamily，andconsistsinsettingtheindividualoutsidethefamily，insubduinghismerelynaturalexistenceandhismereparticularityandsodrawinghimontowardsvirtue，towardslivinginandfortheuniversal。Thepositivepurposepeculiartothefamilyistheindividualassuch。
Nowinorderthatthisrelationshipmaybeethical，neithertheindividualwhodoesanact，norhetowhomtheactrefersmustshowanytraceofcontingencysuchasobtainsinrenderingsomeparticularhelporservice。Thecontentoftheethicalactmustbesubstantialincharacter，ormustbeentireanduniversal；henceitcanonlystandinrelationtotheentireindividual，totheindividualquauniversal。Andthis，again，mustnotbetakenasifitweremerelyinideathatanactofservicefurtheredhisentirehappiness，whereastheservice，takenasanimmediateorconcreteact，onlydoessomethingparticularinregardtohim。Normustwethinkthattheethicalact，likeaprocessofeducation，reallytakeshimasitsobject，and，dealingwithhimasawhole，inaseriesofefforts，produceshimasakindofwork；forthere，apartfromthepurpose，whichoperatesinanegativewayonthefamily，therealacthasmerelyalimitedcontent。Finally，justaslittleshouldwetakeitthattheservicerenderedisahelpintimeofneed，bywhichintruththeentireindividualissaved；
forsuchhelpisitselfanentirelycasualact，theoccasionofwhichisanordinaryactualitywhichcanaswellbeasnotbe。Theact，then，whichembracestheentireexistenceofthebloodrelationdoesnotconcernthecitizen，forhedoesnotbelongtothefamily，nordoesitdealwithonewhoisgoingtobeacitizenandsowillceasetohavethesignificanceofamereparticularindividual:ithasasitsobjectandcontentthisspecificindividualbelongingtothefamily，takeshimasauniversalbeing，divestedofhissensuous，orparticularreality。Theactnolongerconcernsthelivingbutthedead，onewhohaspassedthroughthelongsequenceofhisbrokenanddiversifiedexistenceandgathereduphisbeingintoitsonecompletedembodiment，whohasliftedhimselfoutoftheunrestofalifeofchanceandchangeintothepeaceofsimpleuniversality。Becauseitisonlyascitizenthatheisrealandsubstantial，theindividual，whennotacitizen，andbelongingtothefamily，ismerelyunrealinsubstantialshadow。
Thisconditionofuniversality，whichtheindividualassuchreaches，ismerebeing，death；itistheimmediateissueoftheprocessofnature，andisnottheactionofaconsciousmind。Thedutyofthememberofafamilyisonthataccounttoattachthisaspecttoo，inorderthatthislastphaseofbeingalso(thisuniversalbeing)，maynotbelongtonaturealone，andremainsomethingirrational，butmaybesomethingactuallydone，andtherightofconsciousnessbeassertedinit。Orratherthesignificanceoftheactisthat，becauseintruththepeaceanduniversalityofaself-consciousbeingdoesnotbelongtonature，theapparentclaimwhichnaturehasmadetoactinthiswaymaybegivenupandthetruthreinstated。
Whatnaturedidintheindividual\'scaseconcernstheaspectinwhichhisprocessofbecominguniversalismanifestedasthemovementofanexistent。Ittakeseffectnodoubtwithintheethicalcommunity，andhasthisinviewasitspurpose:deathisthefulfilmentandhighesttaskwhichtheindividualassuchundertakesonitsbehalf。Butsofarasheisessentiallyaparticularindividual，itisanaccidentthathisdeathwasconnecteddirectlywithhislabourfortheuniversalwhole，andwastheoutcomeofhistoil；partlybecause，ifitwasso，itisthenaturalcourseofthenegativityoftheindividualquaexistent，inwhichconsciousnessdoesnotreturnintoitselfandbecomeself-conscious；or，again，because，sincetheprocessoftheexistentconsistsinbecomingcancelledandtranscendedandattainingthestageofindependentself-existence，deathistheaspectofdiremption，wheretheself-existence，whichisobtained，issomethingotherthanthatbeingwhichenteredontheprocess。
Becausetheethicalorderisspiritinitsimmediatetruth，thoseaspectsintowhichitsconsciouslifebreaksupfallalsointothisformofimmediacy；andtheindividual\'sparticularitypassesoverintothisabstractnegativity，which，beinginitselfwithoutconsolationorreconcilement，mustreceivethemessentiallythroughaconcreteandexternalact。
Blood-relationshipthereforesupplementstheabstractnaturalprocessbyaddingtoittheprocessofconsciousness，byinterruptingtheworkofnature，andrescuingtheblood-relationfromdestruction；orbetter，becausedestruction，thepassingintomerebeing，isnecessary，ittakesuponitselftheactofdestruction。
Throughthisitcomesaboutthattheuniversalbeing，thesphereofdeath，isalsosomethingwhichhasreturnedintoitself，somethingself-existent；thepowerlessbareparticularunityisraisedtouniversalindividuality。Thedeadindividual，byhishavingdetachedandliberatedhisbeingfromhisactionorhisnegativeunity，isanemptyparticular，merelyexistingpassivelyforsomeother，atthemercyofeverylowerirrationalorganicagency，andthe[chemical，physical]forcesofabstractmaterialelements，bothofwhicharenowstrongerthanhimself，theformeronaccountofthelifewhichtheyhave，thelatteronaccountoftheirnegativenature。(1)hefamilykeepsawayfromthedeadthisdishonouringofhimbythedesiresofunconsciousorganicagenciesandbyabstractelements，putsitsownactioninplaceoftheirs，andwedstherelativetothebosomoftheearth，theelementalindividualitythatpassesnotaway。Therebythefamilymakesthedeadamemberofacommunity(2)whichprevailsoverandholdsundercontrolthepowersoftheparticularmaterialelementsandthelowerlivingcreatures，whichsoughttohavetheirwaywiththedeadanddestroyhim。
(c)TheClaimsoftheIndividualThislastdutythusaccomplishesthecompleteDivineLaw，orconstitutesthepositiveethicalacttowardsthegivenindividual。Everyotherrelationtowardshimwhichdoesnotremainattheleveloflove，butisethical，belongstohumanlaw，andhasthenegativesignificanceofliftingtheindividualabovetheconfinementwithinthenaturalcommunitytowhichhebelongsasaconcreteindividual。But，now，thoughhumanrighthasforitscontentandpowertheactualethicalsubstanceconsciouslyawareofitself，theentirenation，whiledivinerightandlawderivetheirsfromtheparticularindividualwhoisbeyondtheactual，yetheisstillnotwithoutpower。Hispowerliesintheabstractpureuniversal，theelementalindividual，whichseizesupontheindividualitythatcutsitselfloosefromtheelementandconstitutestheself-consciousrealityofthenation，anddrawsitbackintothepureabstractionwhichisitsessentialnature:drawsitbackjustasthatessenceisitsultimategroundandsource。Howthispowerismadeexplicitinthenationitselfwillcomeoutmorefullyasweproceed。
2。TheProcessinvolvedintheseTwoLawsNowintheonelawasintheothertherearedifferencesandstages。Forsincetheselawsinvolvetheelementofconsciousnessinbothcases，distinctionisdevelopedwithinthemselves:andthisisjustwhatconstitutesthepeculiarprocessoftheirlife。Theconsiderationofthesedifferencesbringsoutthewaytheyoperate，andthekindofself-consciousnessatworkinboththeuniversalessentialprinciples(Wesen)oftheethicalworld，asalsotheirconnexionandtransitionintooneanother。
(a)GovernmentasPositivePower，WarasNegativeThecommunity，theupperlawwhosevalidityisopentothelightofday，hasitsconcretevitalityinGovernment；foringovernmentitisanindividualwhole。Governmentisconcreteactualspiritreflectedintoitself，theselfpureandsimpleoftheentireethicalsubstance。Thissimpleforceallows，indeed，thecommunitytounfoldandexpandintoitscomponentmembers，andtogiveeachpartsubsistenceandself-existenceofitsown(Fürsichseyn)。Spiritfindsinthiswayitsrealizationoritsobjectiveexistence，andthefamilyisthemediuminwhichthisrealizationtakeseffect。Butspiritisatthesametimetheforceofthewhole，combiningthesepartsagainwithintheunitywhichnegatesthem，givingthemthefeelingoftheirwantofindependence，andkeepingthemawarethattheirlifeonlyliesinthewhole。Thecommunitymaythus，ontheonehand，organizeitselfintothesystemsofpropertyandofpersonalindependence，ofpersonalrightandrightinthings；and，ontheotherhand，articulatethevariouswaysofworkingforwhatinthefirstinstanceareparticularends——thoseofgainandenjoyment——intotheirownspecialguildsandassociations，andmaythusmakethemindependent。Thespiritofuniversalassemblageandassociationisthesingleandsimpleprinciple，andthenegativeessentialfactoratworkinthesegregationandisolationofthesesystems。Inordernottoletthemgetrootedandsettledinthisisolationandthusbreakupthewholeintofragmentsandletthecommonspiritevaporate，governmenthasfromtimetotimetoshakethemtotheverycentrebyWar。Bythismeansitconfoundstheorderthathasbeenestablishedandarranged，andviolatestheirrighttoindependence，whiletheindividuals(who，beingabsorbedtherein，getadriftfromthewhole，strivingafterinviolableself-existence(Fürsichseyn)andpersonalsecurity)，aremade，bythetaskthusimposedonthembygovernment，tofeelthepoweroftheirlordandmaster，death。Bythusbreakinguptheformoffixedstability，spiritguardstheethicalorderfromsinkingintomerelynaturalexistence，preservestheselfofwhichitisconscious，andraisesthatselftotheleveloffreedomanditsownpowers。
Thenegativeessentialbeingshowsitselftobethemightproperofthecommunityandtheforceithasforself-maintenance。Thecommunitythereforefindsthetrueprincipleandcorroborationofitspowerintheinnernatureofdivinelaw，andinthekingdomofthenetherworld。
Thedivinelawwhichholdsswayinthefamilyhasalsoonitssidedistinctionswithinitself，therelationsamongwhichmakeupthelivingprocessofitsrealization。Amongstthethreerelationships，however，ofhusbandandwife，parentsandchildren，brothersandsisters，therelationshipofhusbandandwifeistobeginwiththeprimaryandimmediateforminwhichoneconsciousnessrecognizesitselfinanother，andinwhicheachknowsthatreciprocalrecognition。
Beingnaturalself-knowledge，knowledgeofselfonthebasisofnatureandnotonthatofethicallife，itmerelyrepresentsandtypifiesinafigurethelifeofspirit，andisnotspirititselfactuallyrealized。Figurativerepresentation，however，hasitsrealityinanotherthanitis。Thisrelationship，therefore，findsitselfrealizednotinitselfassuch，butinthechild——another，inwhosecomingintobeingthatrelationshipconsists，andwithwhichitpassesaway。Andthischangefromonegenerationonwardstoanotherispermanentinandasthelifeofanation。
Thereverentdevotion(Piet?t)ofhusbandandwifetowardsoneanotheristhusmixedupwithanaturalrelationandwithfeeling，andtheirrelationshipisnotinherentlyself-complete；similarly，too，thesecondrelationship，thereverentdevotionofparentsandchildrentooneanother。Thedevotionofparentstowardstheirchildrenisaffectedwithemotionjustbytheirbeingconsciouslyrealizedinwhatisexternaltothemselves(viz。thechildren)，andbytheirseeingthembecomesomethingontheirownaccountwithoutthisreturningtotheparents；independentexistenceonthepartofthechildrenremainsaforeignreality，arealityalltheirown。Thedevotionofchildren，again，towardstheirparentsisconverselyaffectedbytheircomingintobeingfrom，orhavingtheiressentialnaturein，whatisexternaltothemselves(viz。theparents)andpassesaway；andbytheirattainingindependentexistenceandaself-consciousnessoftheirownsolelythroughseparationfromthesourcewhencetheycame——aseparationinwhichthespringgetsexhausted。
Boththeserelationshipsareconstitutedbyandholdwithinthetransienceandthedissimilarityofthetwosides，whichareassignedtothem。
(b)TheEthicalRelationodManandWomanasBrotherandSisterAnunmixedintransitiveformofrelationship，however，holdsbetweenbrotherandsister。Theyarethesameblood，which，however，inthemhasenteredintoaconditionofstableequilibrium。Theythereforestandinnosuchnaturalrelationashusbandandwife，theydonotdesireoneanother；
norhavetheygiventooneanother，norreceivedfromoneanother，thisindependenceofindividualbeing；theyarefreeindividualitieswithrespecttoeachother。Thefeminineelement，therefore，intheformofthesister，premonizesandforeshadowsmostcompletelythenatureofethicallife(sittlichesWesen)。Shedoesnotbecomeconsciousofit，anddoesnotactualizeit，becausethelawofthefamilyisherinherentimplicitinwardnature，whichdoesnotlieopentothedaylightofconsciousness，butremainsinnerfeelingandthedivineelementexemptfromactuality。Thefemininelifeisattachedtothesehouseholddivinities(Penates)，andseesinthembothheruniversalsubstance，andherparticularindividuality，yetsoviewsthemthatthisrelationofherindividualitytothemisatthesametimenotthenaturaloneofpleasure。
Asadaughter，thewomanmustnowseeherparentspassawaywithnaturalemotionandyetwithethicalresignation，foritisonlyatthecostofthisconditionthatshecancometothatindividualexistenceofwhichsheiscapable。Shethuscannotseeherindependentexistencepositivelyattainedinherrelationtoherparents。Therelationshipsofmotherandwife，however，areindividualizedpartlyintheformofsomethingnatural，whichbringspleasure；partlyintheformofsomethingnegative，whichfindssimplyitsownevanescenceinthoserelationships；partlyagaintheindividualizationisjustonthataccountsomethingcontingentwhichcanbereplacedbyanotherparticularindividuality。Inahouseholdoftheethicalkind，awoman\'srelationshipsarenotbasedonareferencetothisparticularhusband，thisparticularchildbuttoahusband，tochildreningeneral，——nottofeeling，buttotheuniversal。Thedistinctionbetweenherethicallife(Sittlichkeit)
(whileitdeterminesherparticularexistenceandbringsherpleasure)andthatofherhusbandconsistsjustinthis，thatithasalwaysadirectlyuniversalsignificanceforher，andisquitealientotheimpulsiveconditionofmereparticulardesire。Ontheotherhand，inthehusbandthesetwoaspectsgetseparated；andsincehepossesses，asacitizen，theself-consciouspowerbelongingtotheuniversallife，thelifeofthesocialwhole，heacquirestherebytherightsofdesire，andkeepshimselfatthesametimeindetachmentfromit。Sofar，then，asparticularityisimplicatedinthisrelationshipinthecaseofthewife，herethicallifeisnotpurelyethical；sofar，however，asitisethical，theparticularityisamatterofindifference，andthewifeiswithoutthemomentofknowingherselfasthisparticularselfinandthroughanother。
Thebrother，however，isintheeyesofthesisterabeingwhosenatureisunperturbedbydesireandisethicallylikeherown；herrecognitioninhimispureandunmixedwithanysexualrelation。
Theindifferencecharacteristicofparticularexistenceandtheethicalcontingencythencearisingare，therefore，notpresentinthisrelationship；instead，themomentofindividualselfhood，recognizingandbeingrecognized，canhereassertitsright，becauseitisboundupwiththebalanceandequilibriumresultingfromtheirbeingofthesameblood，andfromtheirbeingrelatedinawaythatinvolvesnomutualdesire。Thelossofabrotheristhusirreparabletothesister，andherdutytowardshimisthehighest。(3)
Thisrelationshipatthesametimeisthelimit，atwhichthecircumscribedlifeofthefamilyisbrokenup，andpassesbeyonditself。Thebrotheristhememberofthefamilyinwhomitsspiritbecomesindividualized，andenabledtherebytoturntowardsanothersphere，towardswhatisotherthanandexternaltoitself，andpassoverintoconsciousnessofuniversality。Thebrotherleavesthisimmediate，rudimentary，and，therefore，strictlyspeaking，negativeethicallifeofthefamily，inordertoacquireandproducetheconcreteethicalorderwhichisconsciousofitself。
Hepassesfromthedivinelaw，withinwhoserealmhelived，overtothehumanlaw。Thesister，however，becomes，orthewiferemains，directorofthehomeandthepreserverofthedivinelaw。
Inthiswayboththesexesovercometheirmerelynaturalbeing，andbecomeethicallysignificant，asdiverseformsdividingbetweenthemthedifferentaspectswhichtheethicalsubstanceassumes。
Boththeseuniversalfactorsoftheethicalworldhavetheirspecificindividualityinnaturallydistinctself-consciousnesses，forthereasonthatthespiritatworkintheethicalorderistheimmediateunityofthesubstance[ofethicallife]withself-consciousness——animmediacywhichthusappearsastheexistenceofanaturaldifference，atonceasregardsitsaspectofrealityandofdifference。Itisthataspectwhich，inthenotionofspiritualreality，cametolightas“originaldeterminatenature“，whenweweredealingwiththestageof“Individualitywhichisrealtoitself“。Thismomentlosestheindeterminatenesswhichitstillhasthere，andthecontingentdiversityof“constitution“and“capacities“。Itisnowthespecificoppositionofthetwosexes，whosenaturalcharacteracquiresatthesametimethesignificanceoftheirrespectiveethicaldeterminations。
(c)TheInterfusionoftheseTwoLawsThedistinctionofthesexesandoftheirethicalcontentremainsallthesamewithintheunityoftheethicalsubstance，anditsprocessisjusttheconstantdevelopmentofthatsubstance。Thehusbandissentforthbythespiritofthefamilyintothelifeofthecommunity，andfindstherehisself-consciousreality。Justasthefamilytherebyfindsinthecommunityitsuniversalsubstanceandsubsistence，converselythecommunityfindsinthefamilytheformalelementofitsownrealization，andinthedivinelawitspowerandconfirmation。Neitherofthetwoisaloneself-complete。Humanlawasalivingandactiveprincipleproceedsfromthedivine，thelawholdingonearthfromthatofthenetherworld，theconsciousfromtheunconscious，mediationfromimmediacy；andreturnstoowhenceitcame。Thepowerofthenetherworld，ontheotherhand，findsitsrealizationuponearth；
itcomesthroughconsciousnesstohaveexistenceandefficacy。
3。TheEthicalWorldasInfiniteorSelf-completeTotalityTheuniversalelementsoftheethicallifearethusthe(ethical)substancequauniversal，andthatsubstancequaparticularconsciousness。Theiruniversalactualityisthenationandthefamily；whiletheygettheirnaturalself，andtheiroperativeindividuality，inmanandwoman。Hereinthiscontentoftheethicalworldweseeattainedthosepurposeswhichthepreviousinsubstantialmodesofconsciouslifesetbeforethem。WhatReasonapprehendedonlyasanobjecthasbecomeSelf-consciousness，andwhatself-consciousnessmerelycontainedwithinitishereexplicittruereality。WhatObservationknew——anobjectgivenexternallyandpickedup，andoneintheconstitutionofwhichthesubjectknowinghadnoshare——ishereagivenethicalcondition，acustomfoundlyingreadyathand，butarealitywhichisatthesametimethedeedandproductofthesubjectfindingit。Theindividualwhoseeksthe“pleasure“ofenjoyinghisparticularindividualityfindsitinthefamilylife，andthe“necessity“(4)inwhichthatpleasurepassesawayishisownself-consciousnessasacitizenofhisnation。Or，again，itisknowingthe“lawofhisownheart“(5)
asthelawofallhearts，knowingthe，consciousnessofselftobetherecognizedanduniversalordinanceofsociety:itis“virtue“，(6)whichenjoysthefruitsofitsownsacrifice，whichbringsaboutwhatitsetsouttodo，viz。tobringtheessentialnatureintothelightoftheactualpresent，——anditsenjoymentisthisuniversallife。Finally，consciousnessof“factassuch“(derSacheselbst)(7)getssatisfactionintherealsubstance，whichcontainsandmaintainsinpositiveformtheabstractaspectsofthatemptycategory。Thatsubstancefindsagenuinecontentinthepowersoftheethicalorder，acontentthattakestheplaceofthoseinsubstantialcommandswhichthe“healthyhumanreason“(8)wantedtogiveandtoknow:andinconsequencethusgetsaconcreteinherentlydeterminatestandardfor“testing“，notthelaws，butwhatisdone。
Thewholeisastableequilibriumofalltheparts，andeachpartaspiritinitsnativeelement，aspiritwlichdoesnotseekitssatisfactionbeyonditself，buthasthesatisfactionwithinitselfforthereasonthatitselfisinthisbalancedequipoisewiththewhole。Thisconditionofstableequilibriumcan，doubtless，onlybelivingbyinequalityarisingwithinit，andbeingbroughtbackagaintoequipoisebyRighteousnessandJustice。Justice，however，isneitheranalienprinciple(Wesen)holdingsomewhereremotefromthepresent，northerealization(unworthyofthenameofjustice)ofmutualmalice，treachery，ingratitude，etc。，which，intheunintelligentwayofchanceandaccident，wouldfulfilthelawbyakindofirrationalconnexionwithoutanycontrollingidea，actionbycommissionandomission，withoutanyconsciousnessofwhatwasinvolved。Onthecontrary，beingjusticeinhumanlaw，itbringsbacktothewhole，totheuniversallifeofsociety，whathasbrokenawayseparatelyfromtheharmonyandequilibriumofthewhole:——theindependentclassesandindividuals。Inthiswayjusticeisthegovernmentofthenation，andisitsall-pervadingessentiallifeinaconsciouslypresentindividualform，andisthepersonalself-consciouswillofall。
Thatjustice，however，whichrestorestoequilibriumtheuniversalwhengettingthemasteryovertheparticularindividual，issimilarlythesimplesinglespiritoftheindividualwhohassufferedwrong；itisnotbrokenupintothetwoelements，onewhohassufferedwrongandafar-awayremotereality(Wesen)。Theindividualhimselfisthepowerofthe“nether“world，andthatrealityishis“fury“，wreakingvengeanceuponhim。(9)Forhisindividuality，hisbloodstilllivesinthehouse，hissubstancehasalastingactuality。Thewrong，whichcanbebroughtupontheindividualintherealmoftheethicalworld，consistsmerelyinthis，thatabaresomethingbychancehappenstohim。
Thepowerwhichperpetratesontheconsciousindividualthiswrongofmakinghimintoamerethingis“nature“itistheuniversalitynotofthecommunity，buttheabstractuniversalityofmereexistence。Andtheparticularindividual，inwipingoutthewrongsuffered，turnsnotagainstthecommunity——forhehasnotsufferedatitshands——butagainstthelatter。Aswesaw，(10)theconsciousnessofthosewhosharethebloodoftheindividualremovesthiswronginsuchawaythatwhathashappenedbecomesratheraworkoftheirowndoing，andhencebareexistence，thelaststate，getsalsotobesomethingwilled，andthusanobjectofgratification。
Theethicalrealmremainsinthiswaypermanentlyaworldwithoutblotorstain，aworlduntaintedbyanyinternaldissension。So，too，itsprocessisanuntroubledtransitionfromoneofitspowerstotheother，insuchawaythateachpreservesandproducestheother。Weseeitnodoubtdividedintotwoultimateelementsandtheirrealization:buttheiroppositionisrathertheconfirmingandsubstantiationofonethroughtheother；andwheretheydirectlycomeincontactwitheachotherasactualfactors，theirmediatingcommonelementistheimmediatepermeationoftheonewiththeother。Theoneextreme，universalspiritconsciousofitself，becomes，throughtheindividualityofman，linkedtogetherwithitsotherextreme，itsforceanditselement，withunconsciousspirit。Ontheotherhand，divinelawisindividualized，theunconsciousspiritoftheparticularindividualfindsitsexistence，inwoman，throughthemediationofwhomtheunconsciousspiritcomesoutofitsunrealizednessintoactuality，andrisesoutofthestateofunknowingandunknown，intotheconsciousrealmofuniversalspirit。Theunionofmanwithwomanconstitutestheoperativemediatingagencyforthewhole，andconstitutestheelementwhich，whileseparatedintotheextremesofdivineandhumanlaw，is，atthesametime，theirimmediateunion。Thisunion，again，turnsboththosefirstmediateconnexions(Schlusse)intooneandthesamesynthesis，andunitesintooneprocessthetwofoldmovementinoppositedirections-onefromrealitytounreality，thedownwardmovementofhumanlaw，organizedintoindependentmembers，tothedangerandtrialofdeath，-theother，fromunrealitytoreality，theupwardmovementofthelawofthenetherworldtothedaylightofconsciousexistence。Ofthesemovementstheformerfallstoman，thelattertowoman。
1。Thedescriptionherereferstotheprocessofbodilycorruption。
2。i。e。theearth?
3。Cp。Antigone，1。910。
4。Cp。p。384ff。
5。Cp。p。391ff。
6。Cp。p。402ff。
7。Cp。p。419ff。
8。Cp。p。440ff。
9。ThereferencehereistoOrestes。
10。P。471sup。
bKnowledge，Human&Divine:
GuiltandDestinyINtheformpresentedbytheoppositionofelementsintherealmjustdealtwith，self-consciousnesshasnotyetcometoitsrightsasasingleindividuality。Individualitytherehas，ononeside，thesenseofmerelyuniversalwill，ontheother，ofconsanguinityofthefamily。Thisparticularindividualhasmerelythesignificanceofshadowyunreality。Thereisasyetnoperformanceofanact。Theact，however，istherealizedself。Itbreaksinupontheuntroubledstableorganizationandmovementoftheethicalworld。Whatthereappearsasordinanceandharmonybetweenbothitsconstituentelements，eachofwhichconfirmsandcomplementstheother，becomesthroughtheperformingofanactatransitionofopppositesintooneanother，bywhicheachprovestobetheannihilationratherthantheconfirmationofitsselfanditsopposite。Itbecomestheprocessofnegationordestruction，theeternalnecessityofawfuldestiny，whichengulfsintheabyssofitsbareidentitydivineandhumanlawalike，aswellasboththeself-consciousfactorsinwhichthesepowerssubsist；and，toourview，passesoverintotheabsoluteself-existenceofmeresingleself-consciousness。
1。ContradictionofIndividualitywithitsEssenceThebasisfromwhichthismovementproceeds，andonwhichittakeseffect，isthekingdomoftheethicalorder。Buttheactivityatworkinthisprocessisself-consciousness。Beingethicalconsciousness，itisthepureandsimpledirectionofactivitytowardstheessentialprincipleoftheethicallife—itisDuty。Thereisnocaprice，andlikewisenostruggle，noindecisioninit，sinceithasgivenuplegislatingandtestinglaws:theessentialethicalprincipleis，forit，somethingimmediate，unwavering，withoutcontradiction。Thereisthereforeneitherthepainfulspectacleoffindingitselfinacollisionbetweenpassionandduty，northecomicspectacleofacollisionbetweendutyandduty—acollision，whichsofarascontentgoesisthesameasthatbetweenpassionandduty；forpassioncanalsobepresentedasaduty，becauseduty，whenconsciousnesswithdrawsintoitselfandleavesitsimmediateessential，substance(Wesenheit)，comestobetheformaluniversal，intowhichonecontentfitsequallywellwithanother，aswefoundbefore。Thecollisionofdutiesis，however，comical，becauseitbringsoutthecontradictioninherentintheideaofanabsolutestandingopposedtoanotherabsolute，expressessomethingabsoluteandthendirectlytheannihilationofthisso-calledabsoluteorduty。Theethicalconsciousness，however，knowswhatithastodo；andisdecided，whetheritistobelongtodivineorhumanlaw。Thisdirectnesswhichcharacterizesitsdecisionissomethingimmanentandinherent(Ansichseyn)，andhencehasatthesametimethesignificanceofanaturalconditionofbeing，aswesaw。Nature，nottheaccidentofcircumstancesorchoice，assignsonesextoonelawtheothertotheotherlaw；orconverselyboththeethicalpowersthemselvesestablishtheirindividualexistenceandactualizationinthetwosexes。
Thus，then，becauseontheonesidetheethicalorderconsistsessentiallyinthisimmediatedirectnessofdecision，andthereforeonlytheonelawisforconsciousnesstheessentialreality；
while，ontheotherside，thepowersoftheethicalorderareactualintheselfofconsciouslife—inthiswaytheseforcesacquirethesignificanceofexcludingoneanotherandofbeingopposedtooneanother。Theyareexplicitinself-consciousnessjustastheyweremerelyimplicitintherealmoftheethicalorder。Theethicalconsciousness，becauseitisdecisivelyonthesideofoneofthem，isessentiallyCharacter。Thereisnotforitequalessentialityinboth。Theoppositionthereforeappearsasanunfortunatecollisionofdutymerelywithreality，onwhichrighthasnohold。Theethicalconsciousnessisquaself-consciousnessinthisopposition，andbeingso，itatonceproceedseithertosubduebyforcethisrealityopposedtothelawwhichitaccepts，ortogetroundthisrealitybycraft。Sinceitseesrightonlyonitsownside，andwrongontheother，so，ofthesetwo，thatwhichbelongstodivinelawdetects，ontheotherside，merearbitraryfortuitoushumanviolence，whilewhatappertainstohumanlawfindsintheothertheobstinacyanddisobedienceofsubjectiveself-sufficiency。Forthecommandsofgovernmenthaveauniversalsenseandmeaningopentothelightofday；thewilloftheotherlaw，however，istheinnerconcealedmeaningoftherealmofdarkness(unterirdisch)，ameaningwhichappearsexpressedasthewillofaparticularbeing，andincontradictingthefirstismaliciousoffence。
Therearisesinthiswayinconsciousnesstheoppositionbetweenwhatisknownandwhatisnotknown，justas，inthecaseofsubstance，therewasanoppositionbetweentheconsciousandtheunconscious；andtheabsoluterightofethicalself-consciousnesscomesintoconflictwiththedivinerightoftheessentialreality。Self-consciousness，quaconsciousness，takestheobjectiveactuality，assuch，tohaveessentialbeing。Lookingatitssubstance，however，itistheunityofitselfandthisopposite，andtheethicalself-consciousnessisconsciousnessofthatsubstance:theobject，quaopposedtoself-consciousness，has，therefore，entirelylostthecharacteristicofhavingessentialbeingbyitself。Justasthespheres[ofconsciouslife]wheretheobjectismerelya“thing“arelongpastandgone，so，too，arethesespheres，whereconsciousnesssetsupandestablishessomethingfromoutitself，andturnsaparticularmomentintotheessentialreality(Wesen)。
Againstsuchone-sidednessactualconcreterealityhasapowerofitsown；ittakesthesideoftruthagainstconsciousnessandshowsconsciousnessitselfwhatthetruthis。Theethicalconsciousness，however，hasdrunkfromthecupoftheabsolutesubstance，forgottenalltheone-sidednessofisolatingself-existence，allitspurposesandpeculiarnotions，andhas，therefore，atthesametimedrownedinthisStygianstreamallessentialityofnatureandalltheindependenceclaimedbytheobjectivereality。Itsabsoluteright，therefore，whenitactsinaccordancewithethicallaw，istofindinthisactualizationnothingelsethanthefulffimentandperformanceofthislawitself:andthatthedeedshouldmanifestnothingbutethicalaction。
Theethical，beingabsoluteessenceandabsolutepoweratonce，cannotendureanyperversionofitscontent。Ifitweremerelyabsoluteessencewithoutpower，itmightundergoperversionatthehandsofindividuality。Butthislatter，beingethicalconsciousness，hasrenouncedallpervertingwhenitgaveupitsone-sidedsubjectivity(Fürsichseyn)。Conversely，again，merepowermightbepervertedbytheessentialreality，ifpowerwerestillasubjectivityofthatkind。Onaccountofthisunity，individualityisapureformofthesubstancewhichisthecontent，andactionconsistsintransitionfromthoughtoverintoreality，merelyastheprocessofanunrealopposition，whosemomentshavenospecialandparticularcontentdistinctfromoneanother，andnoessentialnatureoftheirown。Theabsoluterightofethicalconsciousnessis，therefore，thatthedeed，themodeandformofitsrealization，shouldbenothingelsethanitknows。
Buttheessentialethicalrealityhassplitasunderintotwolaws，andconsciousness，takingupanundividedsingleattitudetowardslaw，isassignedonlytoone。Justasthissimpleconsciousnesstakesitsstandontheabsoluterightthattheessentialrealityhasappearedtoitquaethicalasthatrealityinherentlyis，so，too，thisessenceinsistsontherightbelongingtoitsreality，i。e。therightofhavingadoubleform。(1)Thisrightoftheessentialrealitydoesnot，however，atthesametimestandoveragainstandopposedtoself-consciousness，asifitweretobefoundanywhereelse；ratheritistheessentialnatureofself-consciousness。Onlytherehasititsexistenceanditspower；anditsoppositionistheactofself-consciousnessitself。Forthelatter，justinthatitisaselftoitself，andproceedstoact，liftsitselfoutofthestateofsimpleimmediacy，anditselfsetsupthedivisionintotwo。Bytheactitgivesupthespecificcharacteroftheethicallife，thatofbeingpureandsimplecertaintyofimmediatetruth，andsetsupthedivisionofitselfintoselfasactiveandrealityoveragainstit，andforit，therefore，negative。BytheactitthusbecomesGuilt。Forthedeedisitsdoing，anddoingisitsinmostnature。AndtheguiltacquiresalsothemeaningofCrime；
forassimpleethicalconsciousnessithasturnedtoandconformeditselftotheonelaw，butturnedawayfromtheotherandthusviolatesthelatterbyitsdeed。
Guiltisnotanexternalindifferententity(Wesen)withthedoublemeaning，thatthedeed，asactualivmanifestedtothelightofday，maybeanactionoftheguiltyself，ormaynotbeso，asifwiththedoingof，ittherecouldbeconnectedsomethingexternalandaccidentalthatdidnotbelongtoit，fromwhichpointofview，therefore，theactionwouldbeinnocent。Rathertheactisitselfthisdiremption，thisaffirmingitselfforitself，andestablishingoveragainstthisan。alienexternalreality。Thatsucharealityexistsisduetothedeeditself，andistheoutcomeofit。Hence，innocenceisanattributemerelyofthewantofaction(Nicht-thun)，astatelikethemerebeingofastone，andonewhichisnoteventrueofachild。
Lookingatthecontent，however，theethicalactcontainstheelementofwrongdoing，becauseitdoesnotcancelandtranscendthenaturalallotmentofthetwolawstothetwosexes；butrather，beinganundividedattitudetowardsthelaw，keepswithinthesphereofnaturalimmediacy，and，quaacting，turnsthisone-sidednessintoguilt，bymerelylayingholdofonesideoftheessentialrealityandtakingupanegativerelationtowardstheother，i。e。violatingit。Where，inthegeneralethicallife，guiltandcrime，deedsandactions，comein，willbemoredefinitelybroughtoutlater。
Meantime，somuchisatonceclear，thatitisnotthisparticularindividualwhoactsandbecomesguilty。Forhe，quathisparticularself，ismerelyashadowyunreality；heismerelyquauniversalself，andindividualityispurelytheformalaspectofdoinganythingatall，whileitscontentisthelawsandcustoms，which，fortheindividual，are，specifically，thelawsandcustomsofhisclassorstation。Heisthesubstancequagenus，whichbyitsdeterminatenessbecomes，nodoubt，aspecies，butthespecificformremainsatthesametimethegenericuniversal。Self-consciousnesswithinthelifeofanationdescendsfromtheuniversalonlydownasfarasspecificparticularity，butnotasfarasthesingleindividuality，whichsetsupanexclusiveself，establishesinitsactionarealitynegativetoitself。Onthecontrary，theactionofthatself-consciousnessrestsonsecureconfidenceinthewhole，intowhichthereentersnothingalienorforeign，neitherfearnorhostility。
2。OppositeCharacteristicsofEthicalActionEthicalself-consciousnessnowcomestofindinitsdeedthefullexplicitmeaningofconcreterealactionasmuchwhenitfolloweddivinelawaswhenitfollowedhuman。Thelawmanifesttoitis，intheessentialreality，boundupwithitsopposite；theessentialrealityistheunityofboth；butthedeedhasmerelycarriedoutoneasagainsttheother。Butbeingboundupwiththisotherintheinnerreality，thefulfilmentoftheonecallsforththeother，intheshapeofsomethingwhich，havingbeenviolatedandnowbecomehostile，demandsrevenge—anattitudewhichthedeedhasmadeittakeup。Inthecaseofaction，onlyonephaseofthedecisionisingeneralinevidence。Thedecision，however，isinherentlysomethingnegative，whichplantsan“other“inoppositiontoit，somethingforeigntothedecision，whichisclearknowledge。Actualreality，therefore，keepsconcealedwithinitselfthisotheraspectalientoclearknowledge，anddoesnotshowitselftoconsciousnessasitfullyandtrulyis(anundfürsich)。Inthestoryof?dipusthesondoesnotseehisownfatherinthepersonofthemanwhohasinsultedhimandwhombestrikestodeath，norhismotherinthequeenwhomhemakeshiswife。Inthiswayahiddenpowershunningthelightofday，waylaystheethicalself-consciousness，apowerwhichburstsforthonlyafterthedeedisdone，andseizesthedoerintheact。Forthecompleteddeedistheremovaloftheoppositionbetweentheknowingselfandtherealityoveragainstit。Theethicalconsciousnesscannotdisclaimthecrimeanditsguilt。Thedeedconsistsinsettinginmotionwhatwasunmoved，andinbringingoutwhatinthefirstinstancelayshutupasamerepossibility，andtherebylinkingontheunconscioustotheconscious，thenon-existenttotheexistent。Inthistruth，therefore，thedeedcomestothelight；—itissomethinginwhichaconsciouselementisboundupwithwhatisunconscious，whatispeculiarlyone\'sownwithwhatisalienandexternal:—itisanessentialrealitydividedinsunder，whoseotheraspectconsciousnessexperiencesandalsofindstobeitsownaspect，butasapowerviolatedbyitsdoing，androusedtohostilityagainstit。
Itmaywellbethattheright，whichkeptitselfinreserve，isnotinitspeculiarformpresenttotheconsciousnessofthedoer，butismerelyimplicit，presentinthesubjectiveinwardguiltofthedecisionandtheaction。Buttheethicalconsciousnessismorecomplete，itsguiltpurer，ifitknowsbeforehandthelawandtheowerwhichitopposes，ifittakesthemtobesheerviolenceandwrong，tobeacontingencyintheethicallife，andwittingly，likeAntigone，conmitsthecrime。Thedeedwhenaccomplishedtransformsitspointofview；theveryperformanceofiteoipsoexpressesthatwhatisethicalhastobeactual；fortherealizationofthepurposeistheverypurposeofacting。Actingexpressespreciselytheunityofrealityandthesubstance；itexpressesthefactthatactualityisnotanaccidentfortheessentialelement，butthat，inunionwiththatelement，itisgiventonorightwhichisnottrueright。Onaccountofthisactualityandonaccountofitsdeedethicalconsciousnessmustacknowledgeitsoppositeasitsownactuality；itmustacknowledgeitsguilt。
Becauseofoursufferingsweacknowledgewehaveerred。(2)
Toacknowledgethisisexpresslytoindicatethattheseverancebetweenethicalpurposeandactualityhasbeencloneaway；itmeansthereturntotheethicalframeofmind，whichknowsthatnothingcountsbutright。Thereby，however，theagentsurrendershischaracterandtherealityofhisself，andhasutterlycollapsed。Hisbeingliesinbelongingtohisethicallaw，ashissubstance；inacknowledgingtheoppositelaw，however，hehasceasedtofindhissubstanceinthislaw；andinsteadofrealitythishasbecomeanunreality，amerescntiment，aframeofmind。Thesubstancenodoubtappearsasthe“pathic“element(3)intheindividuality，andtheindividualityappearsasthefactorwhichanimatesthesubstance，andhencestandsaboveit。
Butthesubstanceisa“pathic“elementwhichisatthesametimehischaracter；theethicalindividualityisdirectlyandinherentlyonewiththisitsuniversal，existsinitalone，andisincapableofsurvivingthedestructionwhichthisethicalpowersuffersatthehandsofitsopposite。
Thisindividuality，however，hasallthesamethecertaintythatthatindividuality，whose“pathic“
elementisthisoppositepower[theopposedlaw]，suffersnomoreharmthanithasinflicted。Theoppositionoftheethicalpowerstooneanother，andtheprocessoftheindividualitiessettingupthesepowersinlifeandaction，havereachedtheirtrueendonlyinsofarasbothsidesundergothesamedestruction。Forneitherofthepowershasanyadvantageovertheotherthatitshouldbeamoreessentialmomentofthesubstancecommontoboth。Thefactoftheirbeingequallyandtothesamedegreeessential，andsubsistingindependentlybesideeachother，meanstheirhavingnoseparateself；intheacttheyhaveaself-nature，butadifferentself，—whichcontradictstheunityoftheselfandcancelstheirclaimtoindependentright，andthusbringsabouttheirnecessarydestruction。Charactertoo，inpart，lookingatits“pathic“element，thesubstance，belongstoonealone；inpart，whenwelookattheaspectofknowledge，theonecharacterliketheotherisdividedintoaconsciouselementandanunconscious:andsinceeachitselfcallsforththisopposition，andthewantofknowledgeisbytheactalsoitsdoing，eachfallsintotheguiltwhichconsumesit。Thevictoryofonepoweranditscharacter，andthedefeatoftheotherside，wouldthusbemerelythepartandtheincompletework，whichsteadilyadvancestilltheequilibriumbetweenthetwoisattained。Itisintheequalsubjectionofbothsidesthatabsoluterightisfirstaccomplished，andtheethicalsubstance，asthenegativeforcedevouringbothsides，inotherwordsomnipotentandrighteousDestiny，makesitsappearance。
